Storage container for a plurality of inkjet cartridges and a method for storing inkjet cartridges

Abstract

A storage container for storing inkjet cartridges, when the cartridges are removed from the carriage of the printer, having a housing for simultaneously holding a plurality of inkjet cartridges and associated capping means. Preferably the cartridge housing has a plurality of compartments each having a number of biasing means for holding a cartridge against datums in the compartment. A set of components for holding a plurality of inkjet cartridges comprising a first cartridge holder adapted to be mounted on a carriage of an inkjet printer, and a second cartridge holder adapted to be mounted in a storage container for storing inkjet cartridges. Apart from mounting adaptations, the first and second inkjet cartridge holders comprise substantially common structural features so that cartridges are stored in substantially the same manner in which they are mounted on the carriage of a printer. This ensures that their efficacy will be maintained during storage and also enables components from the printer to be reused so that the design and manufacturing costs for the storage container are reduced.

We claim: 
     
       1. A storage container for storing inkjet cartridges when removed from an inkjet printer carriage, each of the inkjet cartridges having a printhead for ejecting ink; said storage container comprising: a housing for simultaneously holding a plurality of the inkjet cartridges; and   capping means for each of the inkjet cartridges; and wherein: the housing comprises a plurality of compartments, each for receiving a respective one of the inkjet cartridges, each of the plurality of compartments having at least one alignment datum for interacting with a corresponding alignment datum on an inkjet cartridge;   each of said plurality of compartments of the housing comprises biasing means for biasing an alignment datum of a respective one of the inkjet cartridges against a corresponding alignment datum of the compartment; and   said biasing means and compartment alignment datums cooperate to accurately position, with a predetermined force, the printhead of a respective one of the inkjet cartridges inserted into the storage container in contact with a respective capping means.     
     
     
       2. A storage container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: each of said plurality of compartments comprises alignment datums and respective biasing means for registering a position of a respective one of the inkjet cartridges in relation to X, Y and Z reference axis.   
     
     
       3. A storage container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said plurality of inkjet cartridges comprises a matched set.   
     
     
       4. A storage container as claimed in claim 3, wherein: each inkjet cartridge of the matched set contains ink of a related formulation.   
     
     
       5. A storage container as claimed in claim 1, wherein: each of said plurality of compartments comprises a keying element for interaction with a matching keying element on a respective one of the inkjet cartridges; and   the keying element of each of said plurality of compartments is different from the keying element of every other of said plurality of compartments of the housing, so that a particular one of the inkjet cartridges is permitted to be fully inserted into only one of said compartments.   
     
     
       6. A storage container as claimed in claim 5, wherein: associated with each compartment is an indicium which matches an indicium on a respective one of the inkjet cartridges; and   the indicium for each of the plurality of compartments is different from the indicium for each other one of the compartments.   
     
     
       7. A storage container as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a base plate for mounting the capping means;   a casing for mounting the cartridge housing; and   a protective cover.   
     
     
       8. A set of components for holding a plurality of inkjet cartridges for use in an inkjet printer; the set further comprising: a first respective one of the inkjet cartridge holders adapted to be mounted on a carriage of said inkjet printer;   a second respective one of the inkjet cartridge holders adapted to be mounted in a storage container for storing inkjet cartridges when removed from the carriage of the inkjet printer;   wherein said first and second inkjet cartridge holders, apart from mounting adaptations, comprise substantially common structural features so as to reduce design and manufacturing costs;   a first service module housing for holding a plurality of removable service modules each service module having capping means for capping the printhead of a respective one of the inkjet cartridges, said first service module housing being adapted to be mounted within an inkjet printer and accessed by inkjet cartridges mounted on a carriage of the inkjet printer; and   a second service module housing for holding a plurality of removable service modules each service module having capping means for capping the printhead of an inkjet cartridge said second service module housing being adapted to be mounted in a storage container for storing inkjet cartridges and service modules when removed from the inkjet printer;   wherein said first and second service module housings, apart from said mounting adaptations, comprise substantially common structural features so as to reduce design and manufacturing costs.   
     
     
       9. A set of components as claimed in claim 8, wherein: said first and second inkjet cartridge holders, apart from said mounting adaptations, are substantially identical in construction.   
     
     
       10. A set of components as claimed in claim 8, wherein: said first and second inkjet cartridge holders each comprise a flexible insulating tape having electrically conductive pads in the form of bumps,   wherein said tape serves to provide electrical connection to a respective one of the inkjet cartridges inserted into said first inkjet cartridge holder in an inkjet printer and said tape serves to maintain electrically conductive interconnect pads of a respective one of the inkjet cartridges inserted into said second inkjet cartridge holder in a storage container substantially free from deterioration during storage.